Method of forming bundles of tobacco leaves



Feb. 5, 1957 s. BENNING El AL METHOD OF FORMING BUNDLES OF TOBACCO LEAVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 16, 1953 ATTORNEYS Feb. 5, 1957' s. BENNING ET AL 2,780,227

METHOD OF FORMING BUNDLES OF TOBACCO LEAVES Original Filed July 16. 1953,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNKENTbRS Samuel .Bm zzng- Emma. 3460771 Mi @219 ATTORAUZHS United States Patent 2,780,227 METHOD OF FORMING BUNDLES 0F TOBACCO LEAVES Samuel Banning and Louis E. Bacon,- Alliance, Ohio Original application July 16, 1953, Serial No. 368,430. Dizidgg and this application July 22, 1954, Serial No. 44 ,9

6 Claims. (Cl. 131-149) The invention relates to the forming of bundles, or hands as they are commonly known in the industry, of tobacco leaves by placing the desired number of leaves together and winding a leaf or other binding strip around the stems of the bundle, and this application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 368,430, filed July 16, 1953.

Tobacco leaves are customarily bound into bundles or hands by the tobacco planter and grower, and are ordinarily sold in this form. Heretofore, this binding of the tobacco leaves into bundles or hands has been performed by hand at a considerable cost in labor and time.

In carrying out this operation manually, the desired number of tobacco leaves to form a bundle are gathered together in a bunch, with the stems located parallel and coextensive with each other, and a binding leaf is then wound tightly around the stems of the bunch, producing a bundle or hand of tobacco leaves.

This is not only a tedious and time-consuming job, but becomes quite strenuous and tiring, asit involves considerable strain upon the hands and arms of the Workman in holding the collected stems of the bunch of leaves tightly together with one hand and tightly winding the binding leaf around the stems with the other hand. i

The present invention has for an object the provision of a novel method for the binding of tobaccoleaves into hands or bundles.

Another object is to provide a method of bundling tobacco leaves which consists in rotating the collected stems of a bunch of tobacco leaves and simultaneously winding a binding leaf around the stems.

A further object is to provide such a method in which the stems of the bunch of leaves are rolled upon a surface while simultaneously winding the binding leaf around the stems.

A still further object is the provision of such a method of bundling leaves, in which the stems of a bunch of tobacco leaves are confined under pressure while they are rolled over a surface, and while the binding leaf is wound around the stems.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method of the character referred to, which is performed upon mechanical means comprising an elongated surface with a flexible apron connected to opposite ends thereof and containing a certain amount of slack forming a pocket to receive the collected stems of a bunch of tobacco leaves, and a roller for compressing the stems and rolling them over the surface.

Another object is to perform the novel method upon such apparatus in which means is provided for maintaining the stems coextensive with each :other during the rolling operation.

A further object is to provide for carrying out the .method of bundling tobacco leaves upon such mechanical means in which the surface over which the leaves are rolled is provided with a recess at each end, .the bunch of 2 stems being placed in the pocket of the flexible apron, in one of said recesses, and rolled over the surface into the other recess. V

A still further object of the invention is to provide for carrying out the method of bundling tobacco leaves by rolling them over an arcuate surface in the manner above referred to.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to perform the novel method of bundling tobacco leaves upon 0 such mechanical means in which a stop disc is movable with the pressure roller for holding the stems of the bunch of leaves coextensive during the bundling opera tion.

And finally, it is an object of the invention to provide such a method of bundling leaves upon mechanical means including means for guiding a binding leaf around the stems as they are rolled.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by carrying out the novel method of bundling tobacco leaves in the manner hereinafter described in detail, as by the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of apparatus by means of which the novel method of binding tobacco leaves into bundles may be carried out;

Fig. 2 a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 an end view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 a larger scale perspective view of a bundle or hand of tobacco leaves as formed by the method to which the invention pertains;

Fig. 5 an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of one end portion of apparatus on which the method may be performed, showing the manner in which a binder leaf is, wound around the stems of the bundle;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a modified formlof apparatus upon which the method may be performed by rolling'the stems of a bunch of leaves over an arcuate surface, showingthe start of the bundling operation;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 6, showing a bunch [of leaves in the process of being bundled thereon; and,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 6 and 7, showing the completion of a bundling and binding operation embodying the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the invention as carried out on apparatus such as illus trated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout, an apparatus for performing the novel method of bundling leaves is shown comprising a base 10, having a substantially flat, elongated bed 11 thereon, terminating in the downwardly inclined ends 12 and 13, beyond which are mounted the stop members 14 and 15, forming therebetween the transverse recesses 16 and 17 respectively.

A flexible apron 18, :of greater length than the bed 11, is fixed at opposite ends to the base, beyond the ends of the bed 11, as for instance to the stop blocks 14 and 15, as best shown in Fig. 2. This apron extends longitudinally over the top of the bed 11 and the recesses 16 and 17, and has considerable slack therein for a purpose to be later explained.

At one side of the bed 11, and parallel therewith, is mounted a guide frame, which may be formed of pipe or rods as shown, and comprises the spaced, parallel, longitudinally disposed guide rods 19, supported above the base 10 as by the corner posts 20 secured to the base as by the flange collars 21. For the purpose of holding the V Patented Feb. 5, 1957 guide rods 19 rigidly in spaced relation, they may be connected together at opposite ends by the short pipe sections or rods 22.

An H-shape cross head 23 is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement upon the guide rods 19, as by the sleeve portions 24 of said cross head, and is provided with the bearing portion 25 within which is journalled the transversely disposed shaft 26, extending transversely across the bed 11 and having the roller 2'7 mounted thereon.

A cross arm 28 is mounted upon the cross head 23, at the side adjacent to the bed 11, and supports the bracket arms 29, which project in opposite directions therefrom to which are secured the downwardly inclined, converging guide troughs 30 and 31.

These troughs are preferably of funnel shape as shown in the drawings and may have the longitudinal openings 32 along their opposed sides, and are for the purpose of guiding a binder leaf around the stems of a bunch of tobacco leaves being rolled upon the machine, as will be later described in detail.

As best seen in Fig. 2 the converging lower ends of the guide troughs 30 and 31 are disposed slightly below and on opposite sides of the roller 27 so as to guide the binder leaf onto the apron, substantially tangential to and around the bunch of stems.

Each of these funnels 30 and 31 has an arcuate bottom wall 33, opposite side edges of which converge downwardly, and the opposed flanges 34 which extend toward each other to the longitudinal opening 32 form guide flanges by means of which a binder leaf passing downwardly into the smaller end of either funnel will be folded into a binding strip and directed tangentially to the stems of a bunch of tobacco leaves placed upon the apron 18.

For the purpose of maintaining the ends of the stems of a bunch of leaves substantially coextensive during the binding and bundling operation, suitable stop means is provided adjacent the side of the bed toward the guide rods 19. As shown in the drawings this stop may be in the form of a disc or plate 35 carried upon the shaft 26 of the roller directly adjacent to the inner edge of the apron 18.

As in usual practice in a double acting cylinder, opposite ends of the cylinder 36 are provided with ports (not shown) which are connected through conduits 49 with a valve indicated generally at 50 by means of which fluid, from a suitable source of fluid pressure, may be alternately admitted to and exhausted from the opposite ends of the cylinder 36.

With this arrangement it will be evident that by operating the control valve 50 the piston within the cylinder 36 may be reciprocated to move the roller 27 longitudinally above the bed 11 from either end thereof to the other.

In carrying out the novel method to form bundles or hands of tobacco leaves upon apparatus as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the required number of leaves L are placed together in a bunch, with the stems S thereof held together in a bundle, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, and this bundle of stems is placed in the loop or pocket P of the apron located at either recess 16 or 17 at either end of the bed as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, with the ends of the stems butted against the stop 35.

A binder leaf is then selected and fed, tip end forward, into the upper, open end of the trough or funnel on the side of the roller 27 adjacent to the bed 11. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the roller is located at the left hand end of the bed with the bundle of leaf stems S inserted into the pocket of the apron between the roller and the recess 16 of the bed, and in that position of the parts the binder leaf indicated at B is inserted into the upper, open end of the trough or funnel 31 at the right side of the roller, as viewed in these figures.

In this position the valve 50 is operated to admit fluid to the left hand end of the cylinder 36, as viewed in the drawings, and to exhaust fluid from the right hand end of the cylinder, thus moving the piston rod 44 to the right,

and through the link 42, lug 46 and cars 48, moving the cross head 23 to the right upon the guide rods 19, and carrying with it the roller 27 toward the opposite end of the bed.

During this operation the binder leaf B is folded as it is passed down through the trough or funnel, the tip end thereof being advanced toward the apron, substantially tangential to the bundle of stems S, so that as the roller 27 advances toward the other end of the bed 11 this binding leaf will be wrapped around the stems S, and upon reaching the depression 17 at the opposite end of the table, the bundle or hand of tobacco leaves will be ejected from the apron into the recess 17 of the bed, and the stem end of the binder leaf B may be tucked into the spaces between the stems or leaves of the bundle in conventional manner, forming a bundle or hand of tobacco leaves as shown in Fig. 4.

The operation may be repeated by placing another bunch of leaves in the machine with the stems thereof located in the pocket of the apron formed between the roller and the recess 17, and the cylinder 36 operated in reversed direction, moving the roller to the left, and at the same time, a binder leaf is inserted tip first into the left hand trough or funnel 30 and a bundle is formed and ejected from the machine at the left hand end thereof. It will be seen that throughout the operation the stop 35 or its equivalent will maintain the ends of the stems of the bunch of leaves substantially coextensive.

It will thus be seen that the binding or bundling of tobacco leaves into hands or bundles may be very quickly and easily performed, the only manual steps required being the insertion of a binder leaf into the trough at the beginning of each operation and the removal of the bound bundle or hand from the machine and tucking under of the end of the binder leaf stem at the completion of each operation.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, a modified form of apparatus for performing the invention is illustrated, in which the base of the machine is indicated generally at 10a and provided with an arcuate bed 11a, terminating at opposite ends in the recesses 16a and 17a.

The flexible apron 18a, which is of greater length than the bed, as described with reference to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5, may be fixed to the frame at one end, as indicated at 15a, and the other end may extend through a slot in the bed, and has a connection 56 secured thereto for attachment to one end of a coil spring 57, the other end of which is connected to one end of a turnbuckle 58 which is secured to the central lug 59 of the base. Thus the apron may be adjusted in length with any desired amount of tension thereon.

The roller 27a is journalled upon a shaft 26a carried by the lever 69 which is fulcrumed as at 61 upon the central lug 59 of the base and provided at its outer end with a hand grip portion 62 by means of which the lever may be manually operated to move the roller 27a in an arcuate path over the bed 11a, from one end thereof to the other, that is from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 8, and vice versa.

For the purpose of maintaining the ends of the leaf stems coextensive during the binding and bundling operation, a stop in the form of a disc 3511 may be mounted upon the shaft 26a of the roller and adapted to move therewith adjacent to that side of the bed 11a.

This form of the machine is quite simple and the guide troughs or funnels may be dispensed with if desired, a binder leaf B being folded to narrow width and inserted tip end first into the loop or pocket P of the apron, within one of the recesses at the ends of the bed.

As shown in Fig. 6, the operation is started with the bundle of stems S of the leaves located in the loop or pocket of the apron positioned in the recess 17a, at the right hand end of the machine, and as the lever 62 is .moved from that position to the position shown in Fig.

8, the binder leaf B will be tightly wound around the stems S of the bunch of leaves, and the bound bundle or hand of leaves will be ejected from the apron as the roller 27a reaches the position shown in Fig. 8. The bundle or hand of leaves thus formed is the same as that shown in Fig. 4.

In each form of apparatus for carrying out the invention, a clip 64 may be provided to hold the belt in line on the roller and to help hold the belt down upon the roller in better position to receive the bundle of leaves.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein for carrying out the invention are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, the operation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The method of binding leaves of tobacco into a bundle, which consists in rotating the collected stems of a bunch of tobacco leaves and continuously rolling them forwardly in the direction of rotation while confining the stems only under pressure, simultaneously folding a binding leaf to form a binding strip and guiding the tip end of said binding leaf forwardly around the stems only, as they are being rolled forwardly, and Winding the binding strip around the stems while they are being rolled forwardly.

2. The method of binding leaves of tobacco into a bundle, which consists in rotating the collected stems of a bunch of tobacco leaves and continuously rolling them forwardly in the direction of rotation while confining the stems only under pressure, maintaining the stems coextensive with each other during said forward rolling operation, simultaneously folding a binding leaf to form a binding strip and guiding the tip end of said binding leaf forwardly around the stems only, as they are being rolled forwardly, and winding the binding strip around the stems while they are being rolled forwardly.

3. The method of binding leaves of tobacco into a bundle, which consists in continuously rolling the collected stems of a bunch of tobacco leaves forwardly along a surface, while confining the stems only under pressure,

simultaneously folding a binding leaf to form a binding strip and guiding the tip end of said binding leaf forwardly around the stems only as they are being rolled forwardly, and winding the binding strip around the stems only, while they are being rolled forwardly.

4. The method of binding leaves of tobacco into a bundle, which consists in continuously rolling the collected stems of a bunch of tobacco leaves forwardly along a surface, while confining the stems only under pressure, maintaining the stems coextensive with each other during the rolling operation, simultaneously folding a binding leaf to form a binding strip and guiding the tip end of said binding leaf forwardly around the stems only as they are being rolled forwardly, and winding the binding strip around the stems only, while they are being rolled forwardly.

5. The method of binding leaves of tobacco into a bundle, which consists in rotating the collected stems of a bundle of tobacco leaves and continuously rolling them forwardly in a straight path in the direction of rotation while confining the stems only under pressure, simultaneously folding a binding leaf to form a binding strip and guiding the tip end of said binding leaf forwardly around the stems only, as they are being rolled forwardly, and winding the binding strip around the stems while they are being rolled forwardly.

6. The method of binding leaves of tobacco into a bundle, which consists in rotating the collected stems of a bunch of tobacco leaves and continuously rolling them forwardly in an arcuate path in the direction of rotation while confining the stems only under pressure, simultaneously folding a binding leaf to form a binding strip and guiding the tip end of said binding leaf forwardly around the stems only, as they are being rolled forwardly, and winding the binding strip around the stems While they are being rolled forwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 77,010 Delinger Apr. 21, 1868 172,120 Hennaman Ian. 11, 1876 704,742 Gardner July 15, 1902 707,742 Weierbach Aug. 26, 1902 2,048,042 Wedge July 21, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 813,049 France Feb. 15, 1937 

